The government has raised petrol prices by Rs5 per litre to Rs258.17 and high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs7.32 to Rs275.70 per litre for the fortnight ending February 28, 2026. Announced late on Sunday from Islamabad, the revision stems from rising international crude rates and input from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra). This comes as a fresh blow to households already grappling with inflation, especially with diesel fueling much of the transport and agriculture sector. How the Hike Hits Everyday Life Diesel’s jump now at Rs275.70 will ripple through trucking, buses, tractors, and even trains, pushing up costs for vegetables, grains, and daily essentials. Petrol at Rs258.17 affects bikes, rickshaws, and cars, squeezing middle-class budgets in cities like Karachi and Lahore. The Petroleum Division’s notification highlights these as key revenue drivers, with monthly sales hitting 700,000-800,000 tonnes. Levies and Government Revenue Angle Even with zero GST on fu...
Pakistan's eastern towns of Chiniot and Hafizabad face a risk of catastrophic floods if an irrigation barrage crumbles on a major river upstream after heavy rains swelled it beyond capacity, officials warned on Thursday.
Nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan are battling torrential monsoon rains that have unleashed flash floods, swelled rivers and filled dams, with 60 deaths this month in Indian Kashmir, and Pakistan's toll at 805 since late June.
Any flooding blamed on India stands to inflame relations between the archfoes, embroiled in a tense stand-off since a brief conflict in May that was their worst fighting in decades.
The waters of the Chenab river in Pakistan's sprawling province of Punjab threatened to burst through a 3,300-foot (1,000-m) concrete barrage at Qadirabad that regulates flows, siphoning them into a canal irrigation network.
"It is a crisis situation," said a technical expert at the National Disaster Management Authority, adding that the collapse of the barrage could wash away the towns, home to more than 2.8 million.
"Under the constant supervision of experts and administration, the water level is receding, but it is still not beyond danger levels," added the official, who sought anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media
India routinely releases water from its dams when they get too full, with the excess flowing into Pakistan, accompanied by warnings from New Delhi, which calls them a humanitarian measure.
On Thursday, Pakistani officials said India passed on its third flood warning since Sunday, this time for the Sutlej, while the previous two concerned waters heading into Pakistan on the Ravi.
India's water resources ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the matter..
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